Critique Vultures on a dull day....

[Compuwight]

Vultures at the Hawk Conservatory

I struggled with settings to get these shots, very dull overcast drizzly day and large mostly black birds. I think given they are slow (relatively) I should have dropped to 1/800 and moved up to f8, letting auto ISO to its thing. Nikon D500 + 500mm PF HH in light drizzle.

As always any and all advice welcomed !

PS I only use LR to crop and make some minor adjustments to exposure/shadows/highlights after pushing through Topaz De-noise (on minimum settings)

!

 

[pooley]

With birds inflight, you should never drop your shutter speed unless you're after a specific effect. You might get a sharp frame but will miss out on a lot more potential shots. Likewise, stopping down to f8 will offer virtually nothing as the difference in depth of field is pretty much irrelevant . All the top flight shooters I know shoot wide open 99% of the time.

Otherwise, they seem a decent set, maybe the first could take a little contrast boost but apart from that, a decent effort

Mike

 

[Compuwight]

With birds inflight, you should never drop your shutter speed unless you're after a specific affect. You might get a sharp frame but will miss out on a lot more potential shots. Likewise, stopping down to f8 will offer virtually nothing as the difference in depth of field is pretty much irrelevant . All the top flight shooters I know shoot wide open 99% of the time.

Otherwise, they deem a decent set, maybe the first could take a little contrast boost but apart from that, a decent effort

Mike

Thanks Mike, I suspected that my normal min of 1250 @ f5.6 was the best option, perhaps I was hoping for something 'magical' in difficult conditions !

Thanks again for taking your time to comment

 

[Peter123]

Hi Steve
I'm going to the same venue this weekend for the first time.
I have a 100-400 and also the 500PF. Would you recommend I take both?
I don't want to carry excess weight around.
I'll only be using one camera (Z7)

Regards
Peter

 

[Compuwight]

Hi Steve
I'm going to the same venue this weekend for the first time.
I have a 100-400 and also the 500PF. Would you recommend I take both?
I don't want to carry excess weight around.
I'll only be using one camera (Z7)

Regards
Peter

Hi,

I took a D500 with 500mm PF for the longer distance and close-ups AND a D610 FF with Sigma 70-200 2.8 Sport for the action which is close.

My advice would be to get to display areas as soon as possible for a front seat and try to sit in the end of the middle row. The birds literally fly over your head (chap next to me lost his hat).

I doubt you would have time to swap lenses so IMHO the 100-400 would be the best option.

Enjoy - its a great experience and remember some spare memory cards and battery - you will take far more shots than you expect - my total was near 2000

PS Watch out for the wild Red Kite that joins the Black Kites for a free meal !

 

[boer13]

I don't know the venue but given the conditions you've done well.
In bright conditions and against a clean BG I do shoot BIF at f/8 and even f/11.. as I believe this hits the sweet spot on my particular lens and helps the very narrow DOF a tad. But under such grey conditions wide open is the only option.

To the images:
1. Pity the tail is hidden
2. Not a flattering head orientation. (Tip-of-beak works best, as in [1])
3. My preferred shot, arguably cropped a tad tight on the RHS.

 

[Compuwight]

I don't know the venue but given the conditions you've done well.
In bright conditions and against a clean BG I do shoot BIF at f/8 and even f/11.. as I believe this hits the sweet spot on my particular lens and helps the very narrow DOF a tad. But under such grey conditions wide open is the only option.

To the images:
1. Pity the tail is hidden
2. Not a flattering head orientation. (Tip-of-beak works best, as in [1])
3. My preferred shot, arguably cropped a tad tight on the RHS.

Thanks for taking your time to comment. It was a challenging but enjoyable day, made more difficult for me due to a neck injury limiting my movements. I am planning to re-visit in August, hoping the weather will be more friendly (probably to much light then !) and I can try f8.

PS #3 was full frame as it got that close so not cropped......

I also had a D610 FF with Sigma 70-200 - seemed they were mostly around the 300-400 range for good framing, so I was constantly swapping between camera's.
With the benefit of hindsight next visit will be the D500 plus Sigma 70-200 2.8 Sport with a matched 1.4 TCI .

I needed the 2.8 for the Owl experience in the woods.

 

[Tysonator]

I have often toyed with the idea of going to the Andover, do you guys recommend £165+ for a day shooting it is worth the spend ! ?

As for photos they look decent enough and the issue with dull light is that the images at distance will also be low in contrast and flat !
W also do not want strong sunlight either as high contrast shadows and burnt out high lights are the norm.

 

[Compuwight]

I have often toyed with the idea of going to the Andover, do you guys recommend £165+ for a day shooting it is worth the spend ! ?

As for photos they look decent enough and the issue with dull light is that the images at distance will also be low in contrast and flat !
W also do not want strong sunlight either as high contrast shadows and burnt out high lights are the norm.

Thanks for taking your time to comment. I too, dream of that perfect day when the light is just right !

IMHO I would visit as a normal punter £16 and see for yourself. The camera club I went with are now trying to arrange a group photographic day, so I guess I have answered your question !

 

[Bebop]

Hi Steve
I'm going to the same venue this weekend for the first time.
I have a 100-400 and also the 500PF. Would you recommend I take both?
I don't want to carry excess weight around.
I'll only be using one camera (Z7)

Regards
Peter

I concur with Steve. 100-400 is fine. There will be brief moments when birds might be at a distance but they nearly always fly in closer and you may well have to duck! It’s a great day out. I love it there.

@Compuwight I have had days where I’ve sat there in the rain too. It makes a world of difference to get better light. I usually shoot wide open, but my longer lenses are not wide aperture.

 

[Peter123]

Hi,

I took a D500 with 500mm PF for the longer distance and close-ups AND a D610 FF with Sigma 70-200 2.8 Sport for the action which is close.

My advice would be to get to display areas as soon as possible for a front seat and try to sit in the end of the middle row. The birds literally fly over your head (chap next to me lost his hat).

I doubt you would have time to swap lenses so IMHO the 100-400 would be the best option.

Enjoy - its a great experience and remember some spare memory cards and battery - you will take far more shots than you expect - my total was near 2000

PS Watch out for the wild Red Kite that joins the Black Kites for a free meal !

I concur with Steve. 100-400 is fine. There will be brief moments when birds might be at a distance but they nearly always fly in closer and you may well have to duck! It’s a great day out. I love it there.

@Compuwight I have had days where I’ve sat there in the rain too. It makes a world of difference to get better light. I usually shoot wide open, but my longer lenses are not wide aperture.

Thanks both.
I’ve got a 1.4 TC coming tomorrow which can be used with the 100-400 so if the light is good I can use that too.

 

[Tysonator]

Thanks for taking your time to comment. I too, dream of that perfect day when the light is just right !

IMHO I would visit as a normal punter £16 and see for yourself. The camera club I went with are now trying to arrange a group photographic day, so I guess I have answered your question !

wow,..that is a big difference ! !
So a normal visitor at the centre the team will still put on a display or are the birds just static and move when they want to ! ?

T

 

[Bebop]

wow,..that is a big difference ! !
So a normal visit do the centre team still put on a display or are the birds just static and move when they want to ! ?

T

You get several great displays as well as caged birds. The birds fly close too.

Edit: Sorry I shouldn’t have butted in - I am stuck at home and bored I am a member there which allows me to visit as often as I like, and also there are special member evenings. Membership costs less than half that if I remember rightly.